This paper examines how rural Caprivians secure their livelihoods, in order to understand how
wildlife and other community based natural resource management (CBNRM) initiatives can "fit in"
to current activities and the rural economy. The livelihoods and priorities of different types of
households are assessed, and the many positive and negative impacts of CBNRM initiatives
identified. The aim is to understand wildlife and CBNRM from householders' perspectives, and
recommend how conservancies, and other natural resource management initiatives can be
implemented in ways that maximise the positive impacts to rural livelihoods and minimise the
negative impacts.
The paper first considers the wide range of resource uses and livelihood strategies employed by
rural households: crop production, livestock, wage employment and cash remittances, harvesting of
trees, plants and river resources, and wildlife/tourism enterprises. It then assesses how different
households combine these various activities, and identifies the main factors affecting their options
and choices. In the light of this overview of livelihood strategies, the significance of CBNRM
activities to rural households is assessed and implications for conservancies and other natural
resource management initiatives are identified.